RV-8

[rapid602]

I am very happy for your build, I saw an RV in CYKF and wanted to go and hold it, it looked so cute.

Something to think about, my uncle and his buddy each built the same airplane and together.NOT AN RV I THINK STARLET) Just as easy to build two planes as one. They could not decide on which engines to use. My uncle used a conventional engine and his buddy (I think used a Rotax or something similar) The results were distastorus. The aircraft with the NON conventional engine had many many many problems. The Aircraft they built was a Starlet. ( I THINK)

The point here is go and speak with the factory, or some guys who have been around these RV's for a while. An experienced builder will usually give great advice about WHAT NOT TO DO, OR WHAT HE WOULD DO DIFFERENT. I am not telling you what to put in it, here but THAT AIRCRAFT WAS DESIGNED TO RUN BEST WITH ONE OR TWO ENGINES, and I would not differ too far off the beaten path on that or you start to create more problems for yourself.

The key to building any aircraft and picking which, engine and prop, and instrumnets should be, reliability reliability, weight and cost. Remember if you built it light enough, it will go fast enough. But ten pounds here and 5 pounds there and pretty soon there is 50 pounds that you don't have to accelerate to take off speed and fly around the sky.

Hope this was some food for thought.

[Beefitarian]

http://www.rotecradialengines.com/0RotecR3600/R3600.htm

So....what do you think of that sexy beast?!

Too bad they don't make a twin row version........

Finance the first one and he would. You might even be able to get a royalty deal.

I spent quite a while loitering in the tent with Paul. I love his engines. He claims only one has ever quit so far and is cranky about it because he was able to say none before that one. You can run them on MoGas and he will zero time them for $5000us. I'll bring you some pictures later.

[Beefitarian]

Here some pictures of his parts table at Osh a couple days after they got soaked by the rain that came through and wind that nearly blew the tent away.

Check out the client projects page. There's a guy putting the 7 cylinder units into motorcycle choppers.

http://www.rotecengines.com/ProjectTable.html

[Taiser]

I love the ROTEC, even thought about getting one a while back but I figured it would be too tough to get parts for especially in my area. You'd think ROTEC would try to get the rust off the parts they are displaying at Osh... unless that's dirt...

[Beefitarian]

A front came through and I thought the tent, parts, nearby planes and us would all be swept away by the driving rain. Everything was totally soaked. Should I take the pictures off? The parts and everything about Rotec seems excellent to me I'd hate to give any other impression.

[Taiser]

LOL I wouldn't worry about it, if they sat in the rain for a bit that's understandable...I'd still love that engine in front of my plane!!!

[Beefitarian]

It was pretty interesting but slightly scary being in the midst of a bunch of things designed to become airborne in wind. It started blowing from the west, increased in speed, then rain blew in hard and it suddenly changed directions as the front moved by and the rain came in the tent from the other side. Some planes were flipped but I guess the tornado in Sun and fun was worse.

I agree, I would love to own a Rotec.

[Beefitarian]

Where's the cheerleader emoticon? All I see is the goad one.

[Beefitarian]

[Adam Oke]

Nice to see some interest! Thanks guys! Admittedly (embarrassingly? ) this year there has been very little progress on the project. Feb to April I was on a contract, May OFF, June to September I was on a contract, and now with a recent purchase of a home, my life is in boxes -- which includes my tools and project

I will move into the new place 01 FEB and will have a dedicated single car garage shop ... which I can't wait to show you guys!! I will see if I can scrounge up the elevators for a picture. Nothing too exciting those, as they are still in the blue and cleco'd -- waiting to be torn down, deburred, primed, and riveted.

[Adam Oke]

Right Elevator


Left Elevator


Rudder Skin Intenal

I do plan on deviating a bit from the plans for the trim tab. If you take a look at the left elevator, inboard where the trim tab will be, there are "tabs" that need to be bent 90 degrees inwards, and blind riveted. I plan on cutting those off and bucking a "riblet" in there. Guys are having a lot of trouble with this simple bend and are cracking the skins -- I will avoid this issue all together this way. The trim tab end ribs as per plans are done the same way, with 2 90 degree bends where the skin overlaps and it is to be blind riveted ... again, I ordered some extra ribs to create riblets so as to avoid having to re-build a trim tab.

[Schooner69A]

Adam: it looks like you're moving along, even with all the interruptions! I'm hoping to have my RV-7A in the air by Spring.

John

[TheRedPages]

Mr Oake, thanks for the updates. I've been a fan of the RV 8 for a long time, especially the dual baggage space and long range tank option as well as the ease of construction, so this spring I bought the preview plans, got my builders number, ordered the tool box and aileron practice kits and started to collect tools. Short of a suitable compressor, some riveting tools I am almost ready for the tail kit this spring.

For speed, range and simplicity I'm going with a fixed pitch prop, tip tanks and glass.

Before I buy I would like to fly, as well as have some support in my home province. I plan to take the trip to the factory and fly the demo this winter but if there are any Alberta based RV-8 owners who would like some free gas and have some time to chat about your build, I would love to meet up. There is no better info than info form another builder. Hopefully I can avoid a couple of the typical rookie mistakes.

Fly safe

[Adam Oke]

Since I bought a house, I have had a slight shift in priorities. I am selling the kit and tools to finish the basement! PM me for details if anyone is interested.

[AirFrame]

Since I bought a house, I have had a slight shift in priorities. I am selling the kit and tools to finish the basement! PM me for details if anyone is interested.

If you leave the basement unfinished, you'll have a workshop to finish the airplane... Priorities, man!

[Pop n Fresh]

When I saw new posts down here I thought of you, then found it was you and was excited.

I be sad now. I'd like it but have no shop, just a finished basement. I hope it finds a good new home. I will alert you if things change and I realize I need it.

[ahramin]

Well I'll have to be the one to say good decision Adam. With the price of fuel, the cost of aircraft engines, and the uncertainty of the future of both, I'd say you've made a sound financial call. As you're probably discovering trying to sell the tools and kit, you can never get the money out of an aircraft that you put into it.

So many airplanes out there not being flown enough, find one of them and fly that or just rent from the local school.

[Adam Oke]

Thanks guy! Between work planes and the boss's ~10 (depending on the year) private planes that we get to play with, I have many fun planes to fly for recreational purposes. I also don't see leaving the cadet gliding program any time soon ... that is one hobby that I thoroughly enjoy as well. Now that I'm well established in the industry, I now know that there will always planes available to play with ... even when you are not looking! For the amount of flying that I do in the off season, ownership would not be a reasonable option.

I learned a TON working on this project, and I still find joy in tinking away at it. Many of the skills gained are transferable, and I do not regret investing the time and money into the project! I now am looking at the long term of how I will keep sinking money into it over the years ... maybe I'll fire up another project when I'm free and clear of a mortgage

Nice to see so many followers! Buy my project, so I can follow you!

[Pop n Fresh]

Buy my project, so I can follow you!

Last year I bought a small mig welding machine to play with. It still has a plastic thing you have to cut off before you can plug it in, intact.

I did take the family fishing lots so at least I'm not wasting all my time, but still between having a paying gig and the housework I neglect to help do well, time for a project is lacking.

I will try to ask around if anyone is interested. Maybe I can find someone near me who likes building planes more than flying them.

[Pop n Fresh]

Here's a taxi test of an RV-8R for those that would like to see one run.